The Death Of Sci-Fi?

Has Sci-fi died? I ask why, because it feels like there has been a distinct lack of Sci-fi in recent years, especially in the film industry, Star Wars aside. There was a time when we took Sci-fi films for granted and there were TV series aplenty. Just think back to the first Star Trek series, Lost In Space, Doctor Who (when he went to other worlds, now he just can't leave Cardiff). Personally, I yearn for some of that thinkig man's Sci-fi, not unlike A Space Odyssey: 2001, or the early Star Trek epsiodes, where, like Lost In Space, there was always a moral lesson to be learned.

In gerneral, the same applies to all films and British TV in particular, which is losing ground to US telly at a dramtic rate. Everyone knows that the basis for a good film or TV series lies in the script writing. If you get that right, then you've already laid the ground work. With a decent budget/actors, there isn't too much room for error once that script is secured. So, what can the problem be? Well, I could be wrong, but I think the source of the problem is ageism! Shock horror, what am I saying? Well, I'm saying, that they're allowing young guys to write scripts, who possess no real knowledge of Sci-fi history. Not only that, the script approvers haven't a scooby either, so the output is absolute trash.

The solution lies in going back to those books written in the 50's and 60's when Sci-fi writing was at it's zenith. Bring some of those works up to date, reflecting the changes that have happened since then, and you'll have yourself some tremendous film material. I know because I used to read some of those very books. There's a wealth of potential Sci-fi blockbusters gathering dust on old book shelves. I cite Ursula Le Guin's "Left-hand Path Of Darkness" and several of the works of Poul Andersen, (which are numerous) as examples. Come on, let's get the Sci-fi film industry back into full swing!

Odds and Sods!

Just some odds and ends today because it's been a long day, I'm tired and I've got a bit of a sore head. Some good telly last night with Top Gear and the first part of Ewen McGregor's "Long Way Down". If you haven't heard of Ewen McGregor, or happen to be uncertain about why he might be travelling down the way for some distance, then try Wikipedia or Google. It's not up to me to clarify every little point you want to nitpick.

Random irritations today. No wait, major irritations actually. The railway-men (whomever they may be) were installing new signals between Dyce and Aberdeen over the weekend and they were meant to be finished by 4am this morning. But nay, they weren't finished and delayed my train by 45 minutes, causing me to be late for perhaps the most crucial lecture ever, by over 20 minutes. Sods Law, I think they call that.

Anyway, my problems are not so bad. My son had to get 2 teeth extracted today, and there's another 2 to get pulled next Monday, in preparation for his first brace fitting next Wednesday. I've assured him that it's all for a good cause, as with his teeth straightened, he'll be able to get a better looking girlfriend, and therefore potentially, my future grand-children will probably be better looking than otherwise. Safe to say, at the age of 13, this is not the kind of stuff he wants to hear me saying, but hey, valid points don't you think?

The Red Tide!

Yes, I realised many moons ago, indeed when I was still a teenager, or even earlier, that red-haired people are at best argumentative and at worst psychotic. Believe me when I say this is a well proven theory, which since my deciding this was the case, every red-haired person that has crossed my path since that time, has done nothing to disprove.

I can't name names can I? Let's just say that in my experience there are certain traits which firmly attach themselves to carrot-tops. Firstly they are completely unpredictable. Secondly, they are often a danger to themselves and others. I asociate this still further with the star-sign Scorpio, although I've no obvious reasoning behind such an assumption, clearly a link was forged somewhere in the distant past. Perhaps it was mere coincidence that I had the misfortune to encounter more than one ginger snap, with a penchant for craziness, and an inclination to constantly reiterate their star-sign as being Scorpio. Coincidence or not, the facts have stuck with me all this time.

Where is my evidence you ask? Well, a copperhead nearly drowned my brother, by pushing him into the harbour, well aware that he couldn't swim. I also had a ginger "friend of a friend" who was quite happy to provoke large groups of drunken males and once jumped off a bridge, only he wasn't near enough the middle to do any permanent damage. He enjoyed violence and would laugh as he was fighting. Unstable? Psychotic? Insane? Yes, all of those! I had to completely cut myself off from him, he became so unbearable to be around. The gingerness took him over, it couldn't be stopped! That's not to say that there isn't a place for ginger nuts in society, I'm sure they could be put to some good use. For instance, I can see how those traits might come in useful manning a check-point near Basra or something!

Class of 47!

Now don't say I'm not good to you. I'm sharing a video with you today, which was recommended to us students as part of our Teacher Training. It shows a US Maths class from 1947. Demonstrated are the wrong way, followed by the right way to get the best from a class. Basically, how not to deal with misbehaviour! The whole thing's totally staged and fairly cheesy, which makes it so worth the watching. What's really strange though, is how the problems teachers face today, haven't really changed that much in all this time.

I am a little concerned by the lack of belting that occurs in this video. When I was in secondary in the 80's I got belted, and my father has told me some terrible stories about kids getting belted around the head and stuff back in the late 50's. Obviously the belt was banned here in the UK in the late 80's, but I have no idea how it featured in education Stateside. Perhaps someone would like to supply that information?

Ther message of the video is, that pupil misbehaviour stems from teacher inadequacy, or teacher failings. If you tell the pupils how bad they are, and how they're all going to fail, the likelihood is that they will be bad, and they will fail. The teacher told them so, therefore that's how they see it panning out. The teacher has that power, I know. My kids have had teachers in Primary School who in my opinion often demonstrated poor grammar, spelling and lack of basic knowledge, and yet ask my kids about the teacher at the time, and they think their teacher knows everything there is to know, the font of all knowledge. That's the perception they have, the teacher is omnipotent, power for good or evil, success or failure, in the palm of their hands!

Classic Ghost Photos!

Never let it be said that I don't spoil you occasionally. Just for your pleasure, here are a selection of classic ghost photos. These are the ones that leave the experts stumped, owing to either the circumstances in which the photos were taken, or simply because of the integrity of the photographers. In most cases, the photographers were not aware of any presence and were merely taking photos of something tangible. Under scrutiny, both their stories and the photographs themselves were verified and proved legitimate.

Lord Combermere
This photograph of the Combermere Abbey library was taken in 1891 by Sybell Corbet. The figure of a man can faintly be seen sitting in the chair to the left. His head, collar and right arm on the armrest are clearly discernable. It is believed to be the ghost of Lord Combermere.

The Brown Lady
This portrait of "The Brown Lady" ghost is arguably the most famous and well-regarded ghost photograph ever taken. The ghost is thought to be that of Lady Dorothy Townshend, wife of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount of Raynham, residents of Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England in the early 1700s.

Tulip Staircase Ghost
Rev. Ralph Hardy, a retired clergyman from White Rock, British Columbia, took this now-famous photograph in 1966. He intended merely to photograph the elegant spiral staircase (known as the "Tulip Staircase") in the Queen's House section of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England. Upon development, however, the photo revealed a shrouded figure climbing the stairs, seeming to hold the railing with both hands.

Hampton Court Henry
On December 19, 2003 closed-circuit security cameras at the Hampton Court Palace in London captured what appears to be a ghostly monk. Security guards had seen the figure in closed-circuit television footage after checking it to see who kept leaving open one of the palace’s fire doors. The area around the man is somewhat blurred, and his face appears unnaturally white compared with his outstretched hand. The spokesperson for Hampton Court Palace stated, “We genuinely don’t know who it is or what it is.”

The Ghost in the Burning Building
On November 19, 1995, Wem Town Hall in Shropshire, England burned to the ground. Many spectators gathered to watch the old building, built in 1905, as it was being consumed by the flames. Tony O'Rahilly, a local resident, was one of those onlookers and took photos of the spectacle with a 200mm telephoto lens from across the street. One of those photos shows what looks like a small, partially transparent girl standing in the doorway. Neither O'Rahilly nor any of the other onlookers or firefighters recalled seeing the girl there. According to the story, the apparition may be the spirit of Jane Churm who died in another fire in the town hall in 1677.

Freddy Jackson
This intriguing photo, taken in 1919, was first published in 1975 by Sir Victor Goddard, a retired R.A.F. officer. The photo is a group portrait of Goddard's squadron, which had served in World War I aboard the HMS Daedalus. (Click the photo at left to see the entire photograph.) An extra ghostly face appears in the photo. Behind the airman positioned on the top row, fourth from the left, can clearly be seen the face of another man. It is said to be the face of Freddy Jackson, an air mechanic who had been accidentally killed by an airplane propeller two days earlier. His funeral had taken place on the day this photograph was snapped. Members of the squadron easily recognized the face as Jackson's. It has been suggested that Jackson, unaware of his death, decided to show up for the group photo.

Your Kids Dream Holiday?

I'm going to have a rant again today. What about this time... ? Well take a look at the horrendous castle in the picture and have a guess. Yes, it's Disney, but I haven't got anything particularly bad to say about Disney. What gets to me, are these people who make out that unless you've taken your kids to Disneyland Florida, then you must be a failure as a parent. As if it's a lifetime achievement to spend 2 weeks queuing in intense heat to get on to rides, with the occasional Mickey Mouse strolling past, while you throw cash around like there's no tomorrow.

"Oh, but it's worth it...", they say "to see the joy on their little faces!" Really, well my kids have no interest in Disney any more, and haven't had for a really long time, and the US in general cetainly doesn't rank as my top holiday destination. The kids agree. They'd far rather holiday here in Europe than go to the US. Yet, these parents have the idea in their heads, that their kids really want to go to Disneyland, and the kids agree, because they know that the parents really want them to want to go. It's laughable really, but I've seen it so many times. It shows a real lack of imagination really. They're very similar to those people who holiday in Majorca, Ibiza, Benidorm or such like, every year. It's a big wide world out there, try something different.

I tell you what, if I had the money, I'd be off to Mexico, Australia, Japan, Iceland, Peru.... places where you can have a rich cultural experience. That's the idea of a holiday, not re-visiting your childhood vicariously through your children who are already more mature than you are anyway. I read the other day that Brits spend £6k a year on average keeping up with the Joneses, and I fully believe that. I know people very well who have to have the best of everything, their children have to be the best at everything, and it's important to them that you know when they bought something first. They are completely moronic! Truly self-obssessed, to the point of making me wanting to shake them violently and tell them to get a life. Do you know people like these? I'll bet you do!

The Eye Of the Beholder!

You saw something didn't you? You told people what you think you saw, and they ridiculed you? They made you wonder if you really saw it at all, if you imagined it, or it was a trick of the light, your mind playing games with you. No, what you saw was real, it doesn't matter if anyone believes you, you know the truth. There are just some things which most people would have difficulty accepting, because they're clinging on to grim reality for all it's worth, and the vaguest notion that there are things out there, beyond the safety net, that's too much for them to take.

Then there's the notion that if you for just a second appear to hold water with any "outlandish" ideas, then you'll be branded a freak of some sort, an outsider. Well, that's just too much for most people. We'll do anything to keep up the pretence of seeming normality. So, have you seen something extraordinary? Something unbelieveable, for which you were ridiculed? I'd like to think that most people have. I've recounted some of my experiences in this blog. Find them youreslves, I'm not going to make it easy for you. And, yes I have been ridiculed, but my convictions are strong. I know what I've seen, and believe me when I say that "seeing is believeing!" Certain experiences can change the way you think about, if not life, then certainly the great beyond.

I must say though, that modern life makes it difficult to experience the sort of event I'm talking about. You need to get out into the wilderness, or the countryside, preferably at night or in the dark. City living makes it diffcult to give little regard to anything beyond what's around the next corner and you're never going to have a deeop and meaningful experience in a busy street, that's for sure. We have lost touch with nature. We've embraced technology and it's a cold embrace. Our intuition has failed us, our bond with the earth has been severed. Will we ever be able to restore that which was lost?

The Tomb of Osiris!

Call me barking, if you like, but I have a deep-rooted suspicion that someday soon, a discovery is going to be made which will cause the whole of humanity to stop and re-think not only the course of human history, but our very place in the Universe. What could such a discovery consist of you ponder? Well, there are indeed many fabled wonders, which believe in their existence or not, you can be rest assured that there are those out there seriously seeking them.

The sort of thing which might fall into this category would be, for intance, the tomb of Osiris, or perhaps the Hall of Records, the Cavern of the Ancients, call it what you will, or alien visitation in prehistoric times. Anyone with an open-mind can accept the possibility of any sort of dicovery taking place. The real question is, would the public ever know if it such a discovery was made? That's debatable, but let's consider the possibility for a moment, that someone, somehow discovered the tomb of Osiris, complete with 12 foot tall skeleton, after all "There were giants in those days!" The Egyptian King Lists tell us that Osiris existed, so why not? If Schliemann or Evans hadn't taken supposed mythology at face value, then perhaps Troy and Knossos would never have been discovered.

We live in a sceptical age, when sagas and legends from the past are dismissed as fantasy out of hand. However, the evidence has always tended to suggest that the opposite is true. Supposed myths when regarded in all seriousness, can probably be proven if the requisite evidence has survived the course of time. You can't disprove a myth, neither through lack of evidence or by reasoning alone. Reason tells us that giant men or aliens, with long lost powers and abilities, couldnt possibly have held sway over the Earth in ancient times, but that doesn't mean that they didn't. Anything's plausible and logic would suggest that at least one myth which is currently regarded as impossible, must be based on real events! Which one will it be?

My Sinister Left-Brain!

Today at Uni, we were looking at different ways of thinking, and of course by different ways of thinking, also, different ways in which people think! The image above might indicate where I'm going with this. Nio disrespect to women, au contraire, I think they're lovely, but the way in which their brains' operate is virtually alien to man! They're totally right-brainers, OK some men are also right-brainers (they claim), but I'm not convinced that there's an even spread.

What separates left-brainers from right-brainers? Well left-brainers are logical and rational. Right-brainers are random and irrational. See what I mean? This is the reason why (if you're a man) that you will find it impossible to win an argument with your other half. You are applying logic, they are applying insanely irrational randomness. They don't win the argument, they just render your logically constructed points completely irrelevant, through tangential absurdness. In effect, you feel like you've lost the argument, but don't know how, while they feel like they've won the argument, and don't care how.

Obviously, thinking is not as clear cut as left or right brain and indeed many people are partly both. Right-brainers are creative, that is there forte, and they therefore supply a product (art, music, writing) which is useful to left-brainers. And, it's sometimes also useful to be reminded of how not to behave!

The Solution Is Obvious!

What's wrong with this answer? Is it the student's fault if the person who wrote the question wasn't half as clever as the person answering it. As they say; "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer!" My intuition however, suggests to me that the person who gave such a witty answer, was probably slapped down for it, as there's often no place for humour in education. I personally would have allocated full marks for this answer, and used the experience as a lesson to myself for correctly wording questions in future!

I think it's a shameful indictment of modern society, but more particularly in the UK I suspect, that while saying we'd like to see more open thinking and discussion, on the one hand, when it comes to putting those ideas into practice, we get all disapproving and snooty about it!

Fortunately, in this short period I've had so far, of teacher training, has demonstrated to me that there is a significant sea-shift away from the traditional emphasis on assessment and formal teaching, towards promoting greater understanding and a concentration on more narrow topic areas. Government initiatives such as AiFL (Assessment Is For Learning) and cFE (Curriculum For Excellence) are probably going to result in the end of the Standard Grade format which is currently the norm. Many schools have already gone over to teaching subjects at Intermediate 1 and 2 instead. The winds of change, they're gonna blow!